One example of a conventional silent discharge plasma apparatus is a silent discharge ozone generator. A silent discharge ozone generator generally uses an electrode structure which uses a glass tube as a dielectric barrier. The presence of a dielectric barrier between metal substrates prevents a transition of discharge developing between the metal substrates to arc so that discharge repeatedly stops and develops.
However, in the event that abnormal discharge developing between the metal substrates increases a temperature or leads to application of an excessively high voltage, the voltage resistance characteristic of a dielectric member may get impaired, which could give rise to dielectric breakdown and destruction of the dielectric member, Destruction of the dielectric member short circuits the ground electrode and the high voltage electrode, stops discharge and the ozone generator, and necessitates exchange of the destroyed dielectric member. Noting this, a high voltage fuse is disposed between the electrodes of the ozone generator and a drive power source, and upon destruction of the dielectric member, the high voltage fuse is blown and the electrode which includes the destroyed section is separated from the ozone generator, which ensures continuation of the ozone generator only with the non-destroyed electrode, setting aside the electrode which includes the destroyed section (Patent Literature 1, for instance).
Patent Literature:
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Gazette No. H8-146071